Pats' Amendola scores TD for literacy in Brockton

Danny Amendola, a wide receiver for the New England Patriots, visited the Davis School on Tuesday to open a new book room donated through his Catches for Kids Foundation.

Anna Burgess The Enterprise @AnnaBurgess_ENT

BROCKTON -- Danny Amendola is used to screaming fans, but he was “blown away” on Tuesday by his welcome from students at the Davis School.

The New England Patriots wide receiver visited Brockton on Tuesday for the opening of a reading room in the Davis School library, donated by the Catch a Book Room program as part of Amendola's philanthropic Catches for Kids Foundation.

He was greeted at the school by hallways filled with more than a thousand students applauding, yelling, and reaching out for high fives.

“It was an amazing welcome,” Amendola said. “The kids were great.”

He met Bethany Johnson, the second grade teacher who originally reached out to the Catch a Book Room program, and read Curious George to Johnson's students in the new reading room.

Growing up in Texas, Amendola’s father was a high school football coach, and his mother was a teacher.

“I had that structure with the school system,” he said. “I had to do all my homework, had to pay attention and do well in school, before I could play football.”

Amendola told the students to “embrace the lifestyle of reading.”

“It’s something you should do every day,” he said.

Davis School principal Darlene Campbell said this made a huge impact on the students.

“They hear that from a lot of people, but to hear that from him was poignant,” she said. “I don’t think he realized how deep that went with my kids, but I saw their faces.”

The donated reading room included bookshelves, a comfortable carpet, beanbags chairs, and stools, a mural on the wall, and, most importantly, more than 600 brand-new books.

The Davis School is only the third to receive a book room donation from the Catch a Book Room program, but Amendola said they have many more in the works.

“We have high goals set for ourselves,” he said.

Johnson, who reached out to the Catches for Kids Foundation at the beginning of the school year, said it was amazing to see her request for a reading room come to fruition.

“It really sank in for the kids yesterday, when they came and saw all the books,” Johnson said. “They were excited to come and meet Danny, but they’re even more excited to start using the books.”

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.